E.J. Barthel has indeed been hired by Penn State, where he will handle aspects of the Nittany Lions football program's recruiting.

Barthel, who will report to Director of Player Personnel Andy Frank in the recruiting department, is expected to have a significant hand in Penn State's recruiting efforts, although he will be restricted from meeting prospects off campus.

Petersen declined to provide further specifics on why coach James Franklin hired Barthel, who, according to a letter provided by his attorney, Frank Catania, was cleared by the NCAA for any wrongdoing in the continuing case against Rutgers that resulted in a series of alleged violations last year.

Prior to his arrival at Rutgers, Barthel trained top local high school athletes at Explosive Training Systems in Teterboro, working with some of the top recruits in New Jersey's class of 2016, including defensive tackle Rashan Gary (who went to Michigan) and quarterback Jarrett Guarantano (who went to Tennessee).

@CoachEJbarthel If only people knew how much this man and I have grown through our ups & downs TOGETHER. Congrats family, much love.

Barthel was dismissed by Rutgers in January 2016, then resurfaced at Temple, where he aided the recruiting efforts of former Owls coach Matt Rhule, who left for Baylor last December.

Despite finishing 10-4 and winning its first American Athletic Conference championship last fall, Temple's 18-player recruiting class was rated 118th nationally and last in the American Athletic Conference in February.